By Elana Warsen
LUZERNE – Closed for renovation since Nov. 2015, the Luzerne business formerly known as Camp 10 Party Store and Deez Camp 10 Party Store and Pizzeria will reopen Apr. 1 under a new name: Deez Pizzeria. The business has shed its party store roots in favor of a sit-down restaurant layout.
‘We’re going for an Italian bistro feel,’ owner Deanna Wilson said, gesturing to the checkerboard floor in the entryway and the intimate seating in the well-lit restaurant. ‘We could have fit more tables in the dining room, but we didn’t want it to feel crowded.’
Deez Pizzeria (a nod to Wilson’ childhood nickname) will build on the popularity of the ‘square deep dish pizza,’ which Wilson says was a major draw for customers of her previous business, Deez Camp 10 Party Store. She operated the party store for 18 months before deciding to make the shift to the restaurant business.
‘There’ nothing else like it in Oscoda County,’ Wilson said. ‘I wanted to bring a taste of Detroit square deep dish pizza to our small town.’
Originally from Detroit, Wilson opened up shop in Luzerne because she is drawn to small-town friendliness. ‘In a small town you get to know customers personally, by name,’ she said. ‘I want to greet people with a smiling face and good food. Customer service is number one.’
Wilson, who has worked alongside chefs from Italy, is proud to serve homemade Italian cuisine in her new restaurant. ‘Everything is homemade, including spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, and dough,’ she said. ‘It tastes different because it’ made with love.’
Deez Pizzeria is located at 2165 Ryno Rd. in Luzerne.
To comment on this story or to suggest a story idea, please contact ejwarsen@gmail.com.
